1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to technologies that notify users of other users' status.
2. Description of Related Art
In the present invention, “status notification devices” mean devices that are interconnected via a network and enable real-time exchanged transmission/reception of stored user status items. In some cases, user status is configurable on a status notification device automatically or by a user; in other cases, it is reported from a different detection means to the status notification device.
Recently, there have been offered various status notification devices that can report user status of a user on a network to another user in real time. These status notification devices are utilized to facilitate communications between users. For instance, a user can start a communication that suits the other user's situation by obtaining the user status of the other user from the status notification device. Similarly, a user can receive a service that suits his status by notifying others of his status using the status notification device.
One such typical status notification device is “ICQ” (Mirabilis, Ltd.), which is offered on the Internet. ICQ is devices, and a system including the devices interconnected via the Internet, that accept user status and text message settings, and that enable exchange-notification of the set content in real time.
By using ICQ, a user can find out who are the other users that are connected to the Internet. On ICQ, a user A designates another user B as a user to whom his status can be shown as needed. Thus, the other user B can find out user A's status on ICQ in real time. However, this status notification is available only when both users A and B are connected to the Internet. There are numerous other status notification devices other than ICQ, which have similar functions.
There has been proposed a status notification device that combines a conversation device such as IRC (Internet Relay Chat, RFC1459) and a status detection device. With this type of status notification device, change in user status is detected, and the new user status is reported to other users in a virtual space via the conversation device. Therefore, users who share the same virtual space can be notified of each other's status in real time. There are some status notification devices that allow users mutually to send and/or receive user status via their conversation devices, even when the users' status notification devices do not share the same virtual space.
A user who frequently goes on business trips, for example, does not always have an access to the Internet or to a conversation system. On the other hand, for other users, it is just this user status that they want to be notified of in real time. However, status notification devices such as the aforementioned ICQ can only handle the user status of users who are connected to the Internet. Status notification devices having conversation devices can only handle the status of users who participate in a virtual space or are connected to a conversation system. In other words, if a user is not connected to ICQ or a conversation system, the user's status will not be reported to other users.
Furthermore, the aforementioned conventional status notification devices are based on the assumption that exchange-transmitted/received user status is whichever of the status items in a status list that is shared by the status notification devices. For instance, ICQ is provided with a predetermined list having status items such as “idle” and “away,” wherein user status is selected from the status list. However, in this arrangement, the accuracy of the status of a user is pre-limited by the status list. Therefore, user status cannot be reported more precisely.